


Once a Knight

by RaceUlfson



Series: Hero [3]
Category: Final Fantasy VIII
Genre: Changing POV, Dubious Consent, F/M, M/M, death of secondary characters, sap and smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-20
Updated: 2014-07-20
Packaged: 2018-02-09 17:56:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1992336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RaceUlfson/pseuds/RaceUlfson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Rinoa!” I stood before her and spread out my hands. “I am your Knight. You summoned me.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Summons

Once a Sorceress's Knight, always a Sorceress's Knight. No one knew that better than I. In fact, I'm an expert on it. Which is why I knew what would happen when Rinoa Heartilly got herself in a jam and called her ex to come fix. So why was I pissed?

Why do you think?

Squall looked up from the knife crease folded shirts he was packing. His socks, ties, pajamas, were lined up with military precision in the suitcase. Next would come the toiletries, probably in alphabetical order. The more out of control Squall's life became, the more anal he got about the little things he could control.

At least he was off the sauce.

And I was storming around being the complete jealous bitch.

"You could come with," he said, making it sound like the last ditch effort it was.

"You know I can't miss that much school." Med School was a lot harder than anticipated. Thank Hyne - and Laguna Loire - that I wasn't still trying to work full time.

Sounding miserable, Squall said, "I have to go."

I ran my hands through my hair, resisting the urge to pull some out. Instead, I moved behind Squall and put my hands to good use, running them over his back and kneading his ass before I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him to me. "I'm being an asshole. Let me have my moment and I'll get over it."

Squall sighed and leaned back against me, settling his head in the hollow of my throat. His silky hair tickled as I rubbed my chin against the top of his head like a cat. Marking my territory.

In a similar path to a few moments ago, my hands ran over Squall's chest and down to knead his crotch. He hardened under my touch and I smiled into his hair.

"I'm gonna write 'property of Seifer Almasy' on this," I whispered in his ear.

A faint grin curled around his lips. "No one is going to see it. You could write it on my ass, which Rin should be kissing."

"Tell her she can kiss mine, too."

I held Squall in my arms, rocking him gently, and nibbled his ear. He squirmed, becoming aroused and annoyed. I love him like that.

"Seifer. We don't have time, I'll miss the train." Squall made futile reaching motions for the suitcase.

I smooched along his neck, behind his ear. "Take the 'Roc."

Squall shook his head. "I'd still have to take a transport in from Galbadia Garden."

"Aren't you going to stay there anyway with Selphie and Irvine?" I moved my kisses to his shoulder and the back of his neck.

Squall shuddered. "And get sucked into the Cult of Trabian?"

"Oh, they aren't that bad!" Selphie and Irvine were pretty typical of new parents, delighted and amazed by what they had created and intent on spreading the joy. On the up side, Trabian was an adorable little boy, and Irvine had the 50,000 photographs to prove it. Ask him to see them sometime when you have no other plans for the weekend.

"Yes, they are. I'm staying at the Royal in Deling City. Irvine's on maneuvers, anyway, and I'm not risking Selphie's cooking."

"Aw, and that's such a cute little picture, the two of you at the kitchen table trading housewifely tips."

Squall twisted around in my arms and glared up at me. "Housewifely? Who exactly is the breadwinner in this family? Who is the front line combat guy and who is the lowly Grad student?"

"Who cooks?"

"That's self-preservation."

I grinned down at him. "Who cleans?"

"That's because you are a lazy slob, and if I'm on leave I have nothing to do while you're in class."

I kissed Squall, crushing him to me and lifting him slightly off his feet. I let him go when we were both breathless. "Who tops?"

Just in case he didn't remember, I dumped Squall on the bed and reminded him.

.

.

.

  
Seifer has no concept of a quickie, which is why I was so late for the train. I half think it was a last ditch attempt to make me stay. As if that wasn't all I wanted, anyway.

They held the train for me. I am Laguna Loire's son, after all. So embarrassing. It was enough time for a few reporters to gather. I cannot imagine why my personal life would be of interest to anyone.

"Where are you headed, Commander?" One of them, from Vid News Two, I thought, was trying the 'aren't we good pals?' approach.

I tried the glacial 'go away and leave me alone' response, but he was as stupid friendly as a puppy. "My ticket is to Balamb," I said finally, hoping he'd take the hint.

"Great! I'm headed that way myself." He would have been going anywhere I mentioned, up to and including the Island Closest to Hell. "We can sit together and you can share."

"Have a good trip," I said, slipping into the SeeD lounge and shutting the door. I hate using official SeeD equipment for my personal use, but it's not like the car wasn't going to be traveling to Fisherman's Horizon whether I was in it or not. Still, I knew reporters. They would decide Something Was Up since I was in the SeeD car and would hound me to death. Which is why I had planned to ditch them all in Fisherman's Horizon and head to Deling by way of Winhill. Last thing I needed was for the Free Press of Esther to find out I was going to visit my sorceress.

I still thought of Rin as My Sorceress. We hadn't been able to make our relationship work as a couple, but I still had strong feelings for her. I loved her, I guess. It was part of the whole Sorceress/Knight relationship. I had seen it often enough with Laguna and Sis, the helpless all-consuming devotion he had to her. Having felt it, I was more willing to forgive Laguna for leaving Raine and me. When your Sorceress calls, you have no choice.

I wondered about Seifer and his sorceress. We never talked about it. I wasn't even sure which of the sorceresses was his. Edea, most likely. He had always been devoted to her, and after all, Adel was before our time and Ultimecia was from somewhere in the future.

Shiva stirred, as she always did when I started brooding about the Second Sorceress War. To appease her, I changed mental gears by searching for Irvine's stash. He had one hidden in every SeeD car, and although the cars were identical, the hiding places were not. I don't know how he remembered them all. Lack of GF's, I guess.

This one was easy, a little compartment in the framework of underside of the couch. I found playing cards, 500 gil, ¾ of a bottle of Galbadian Whiskey, 2 boxes of bullets and some serious SeeD whacking material - a vintage issue of Weapon's Monthly. I reached for the Whiskey first, but thought better of it and stole his magazine instead.

I settled back against the cushions and prepared to while away the hours to Fisherman's Horizon. The advantages of no memory to speak of, old magazines are just as engrossing as new ones.

.

Seventeen horrible hours later, I stood on General Caraway’s doorstep.

I had ditched the reporters and the plush SeeD rail car in Fisherman’s Horizon as planned. The restless sense of trouble, not doom exactly, but danger nonetheless, drove me to take the next transport out to Winhill. I suspected I smelled as strongly of fish as the ship and her Captain had. Fortunately, my nose shut down halfway through the voyage.

The only rental car available in Winhill was sculpted entirely out of bondo and rust. It wheezed and bounced across the desert until it lost a confrontation with a ruby dragon about 2 miles out of the Old Prison compound. Dragons aren’t much of a challenge for Shiva and me, but the car was no more. I grabbed my suitcase and hiked to the Prison Compound and called Selphie for a lift.

Selphie came to get me in a new air conditioned off road sports utility vehicle. I put my suitcase in the back with the other jumbled mess - her nunchucks, a case of ammo, boxes of mysterious crafty looking things, and a bale of diapers.

I checked the back seat as I got in and Trabian was with us, strapped into his flying saucer shaped car seat. To his credit, he didn’t make near the noise Selphie did on the trip to Deling.

“Squall, why didn’t you tell me you were coming? The house is a mess, you’ll ignore that, won’t you? Irvy is out on a training mission. Well, you know that.  He’s determined to capture Blue Flag this year, since Zell is commanding Blue Army. Why didn’t you call me sooner? I’d’ve picked you up in FH! Tra loves the boats and ships, don’t you, Lovie?”

I would have told her to breathe, but it brought back unpleasant memories of delivering Trabian. I wondered if Irvine put Selphie’s ability to go so long between breaths to good use, a random thought I blamed entirely on Seifer.

Seifer.

I hated spending my leave anywhere he wasn’t. This time was different, though. We started sniping at each other as soon as I arrived. I thought it was because I was tired from a Peacekeeping action that blew up into a full-scale battle. The rest I put to Seifer’s typical pre-test jitters. He always gets crazy during midterms.

I couldn’t sleep. I’d get up all hours and pace the apartment. I’d find myself pouring over train schedules to Deling. When I did sleep, the nightmares were all of some formless smothering terror. And Rinoa.

Seifer was disturbed and cast Scan on me. After that he was even more disturbed. I asked him what he saw, and he said, “Feathers.”

Rinoa was summoning me through the Sorceress-Knight link.

My first reaction was irritation. The last time Rinoa summoned me – and off a mission, I might add – it was because she’d locked her keys in her car. To be fair, that was years ago, when we were both kids and still trying to have a relationship.

My second reaction was fear. I did not want to go through what Seifer had with his sorceress. Among the many reasons was the knowledge that Seifer would not be able to defeat _me_.

Seifer was an expert on Sorceresses, having spent time with basically all of them. He told me Rinoa was in danger, which confirmed what my dreams were trying to tell me. I packed my bags and took the next train out.

“Squall? Hellllllllllllllllllllllllloooooo. Come back, come back, I promise I’ll stop talking. Okay, a blatant lie, there, ignore that, Tra Lovie, Mommy only lies for…”

“Fun and profit?” I suggested, hoping I wouldn’t be held accountable for anything Selphie had been confiding to me on the trip. Glowing reports of Trabian’s obvious superiority to any other baby in the history of mankind would be my first guess.

Selphie smacked me.

“Hands on the wheel.”

She stopped the truck and twisted in her seat to grin at me. “What I said was,” Selphie repeated, totally unoffended by the fact that I had not been paying attention, “I need to feed Trabian.”

He _was_ getting fussy and I had no desire to be trapped in the vehicle with two vocal Tilmitts. I looked around the barren Galbadian desert for a restaurant or a store or someplace even with a method of sterilizing bottles and heating formula.

Selphie meanwhile crawled into the back seat and rooted around in a coffin sized carry bag. She scooped her baby out of his little space ship and kissed and cuddled him, saying the most ridiculous things. If people were born understanding the language they’d spend most of their early life writhing in embarrassment. Selphie settled Trabian across her lap and unzipped her blouse.

“Selphie? What are you doing?”

“Feeding Trabian.”

“You’re not going to do what I think you are going to do… here?” I said weakly.

She laughed and unhooked her bra. “Yes, Squall, in front of Hyne, you, and the geezards.”

So I wandered around in the desert a while, getting my nose sunburned and pretending to check the tires and guard against geezard attacks. The wind picked up and instantly I was coated in fine golden dust. I could feel it inside my ears, up my nose, weighing down my eyelashes. I knocked on the window and getting no response, opened the door. Inside in the climate-controlled dust free SUV, Selphie and son were napping happily.

I slid into the drivers’ seat and headed for Deling.

We were forced to stop 2 more times for Selphie to deal with an aroma that would be banned from use in warfare. I took the ass chewing for driving without Trabian in the car seat like a man.

I am so never having kids.

After the last stop Selphie took over driving again. She pouted about the fact that we were in Deling and not at Garden, and I promised to swing by and visit on my way home. Hopefully Irvine would be back by then and she wouldn’t feel obligated to try to cook.

I made Selphie drop me off at the bus stop. She knows me too well to argue, but I could tell she didn’t like it and I imagined the emails would be flying that night as she tried to find out what was going on. Quistis and Zell didn’t know, and Seifer wouldn’t tell, so I felt fairly safe with my secret.

Deling City’s Public Transport System was modeled on Esther’s. They left in the sense of randomness and took out the reliability. It went eventually to General Caraway’s house and that was good enough for me.

Rinoa and I had lost touch. Since the night she walked out of my life, I had seen her only once, at the nightmare that was Selphie and Irvine’s wedding. It seemed reasonable that her father would know where to find her. I could have gone to the Hotel first and rented a car, but I wasn’t entirely sure the bus went that way.

That, and the overhanging fear was back.

A suspicious servant informed me that Miss Rinoa was not at home, inadvertently telling me how to find her. I told the maid I’d wait, earning a withering look and a hard chair in the foyer.

I showed myself to the small washroom under the stairs. I cleaned up and dug a fresh shirt out of my bag and marveled that until the maid had said “Miss Rinoa” it had never occurred to me she could be involved, married, a mother…

Was I the only one whose life stalled out, derailed, went nowhere? Granted, that was my own fault, as I avoid change. Most of the changes I remember have been very traumatic. Routine is my security blanket, the comfort of some things staying the same. Less to remember that way. Less to forget.

I returned to my chair to wait. I was annoyed that Rinoa wasn’t there, although I acknowledged the fact that I hadn’t let her know I was coming. My original plan was a formless scenario in which I swept in, killed the monster, handed Rin over to her father/lover/best friend/keeper, and was back in Esthar before Seifer burned up another pot trying to cook.

The sense of urgency and danger was still there. I fought the urge to go hunt for Rinoa, knowing from experience that if we were both wandering aimlessly I would be seeking her three times as long.

A soft clicking noise drifted down the hallway, and Angelo came into view. He at looked me and then wagged his tail politely. It’s nice to be remembered.

Angelo walked over stiffly, his nails tapping on the hardwood floors. He had aged; even with my limited dog experience I could see that. His muzzle and around his eyes seemed whiter. Odd that I would remember the dog so well.

I took off my glove and offered my hand. Angelo sniffed and then approved with a lick, his stubby tail wagging harder. I rubbed his ears and he settled down by my feet. We waited for his mistress together.

Angelo awakened me from dark dreams by struggling to his feet. I blinked and heard an over revved sports car shriek into the carport. It needed a new belt, by the sound of it.

Angelo and the maid got to the door at the same time. “Miss Rinoa! There’s someone here to see you…”

I stood slowly, hearing Rinoa’s voice.

“Someone to see me? Who can it be? Hello, Angelo, Darling.” Rinoa peeked around the maid and the door and saw me. “Omigod SQUALL!!” She ran over and bear hugged me. “I can’t believe it! What are you doing here? Look at you! Omigod, look at me! No, don’t, I’m all dirt. I have to change clothes. I won’t be a shake of a lamb’s tail. Hay! Fix Squall a drink. Squall, this is Hay.” She released me and ran up the stairs.

Rinoa looked fine to me. She had always been a pretty girl, now she was a pretty woman. She had changed her hair, I thought, it was softer and more styled looking. She was wearing a little white dress with her trademark wristbands. Tennis, they must have been playing tennis.

She certainly seemed surprised to see me. Did she not even know she was summoning? We needed to talk, soon.

“Absolutely, Darling,” Hay said. It must have been for my benefit as Rinoa, Angelo, and the maid were long gone. “The man looks like he could use a drink.”

I could use a drink, but I didn’t want to waste time making nice with Rinoa’s boyfriend.

_Boyfriend_? Well, he had called her darling. But in Galbadia, that was as common as rocks. Irvine called his _toaster_ darling.

I considered blowing him off and following Rin up to her room. I looked over at Hay. He looked back with that mocking challenge I’d seen on Seifer’s face far too many times to resist.

I moved over lazily, following Hay into Caraway’s den and leaving my bags in plain sight in the hall way. He headed for the bar, mixing Rinoa’ drink first, showing that he knew the bar and Rinoa’s tastes and questioning my right to be there. I slipped onto the stool and watched.

Hay dropped a sugar cube into the shaker and crushed a lemon wedge over it. He reached for the sloe gin.

“Two,” I said.

“Hm?”

“Two, Rin likes 2 cubes. Extra lemon, watch the seeds. And a cherry. She likes it sweet.”

Hay looked me over. He was good looking in a capped teeth, professionally styled way. Expensive cologne, neat pressed shirt. If he’d been playing tennis with Rinoa, he’d made her wait at the club while he showered and changed. His expression made it clear he thought I needed one, too. He was right, I did.

“You don’t know a thing about mixing a good sloe gin fizz.”

“I know Rinoa.”

Hay added the extra sugar and lemon. Score one for me. He arched an eyebrow, asking if I also drank the nasty stuff. I shook my head. “Bourbon for me.” I toyed with ‘please’ and settled on, “Thanks.”

He poured two, neat and generous with Caraway’s liquor. After a silent toast and an appreciative sip, Hay seemed to feel the need for conversation. “So, _Squall_ ,” he said, “How do you know Rinoa?”

I resisted the cheap shot out of respect for my hostess. “I did some work for her a few years back.”

Hay glanced around, as if afraid to be seen drinking with the pool boy. “Oh?” he said, covering badly. “What do you do?”

That’s the million gil question, isn’t it? And I have so many answers for it. I sipped my drink and considered. “I’m a mercenary.”

“A mercenary?” His tone was skeptical. 

Rinoa joined us in a cloud of expensive perfume. “You boys behaving yourselves?” She sipped her drink and smiled. “You just keep getting better and better at bartending, Hay.”

“I can quit my day job.” He looked at me. “Unless mercenaries pay more?”

“Honestly, Hay, one would think you slept thru the Sorceress War. This is _Squall Leonhart_.” Rinoa laughed. “Squall saved my life _dozens_ of times,"

“Ah. I was in college, then, Pet. My only interest in the War was not getting drafted.”

Why was I not surprised? Not that Galbadia needed any more losers on their side. Seifer could have gone a lot farther if he hadn’t had to carry the entire Galbadian army.

Hay must have heard me snort, because he added, “I do seem to recall Leonhart was on the other side…”

Only after Edea shot Deling.

“He was on _my_ side, Hay.”

Hay set his empty glass on the bar. “Then I owe you,” he said to me.

“Then do me a favor and hit the road.” I had played nice as long as I could.

Hay blinked. “I beg your pardon.”

I tried again. “Get out.” I followed the order up with my best send the junior grades scurrying glare.

 Either it worked on all ages, or my name had dredged up some respect. Hay said coldly, “Certainly.”

“No, Hay, you don’t have to…” Rinoa was all politeness. She’d still be offering tea and cakes at Midnight.

“I must run, My Pet, I’m late as it is. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Hay made a fast exit.

I stopped Rinoa from following him by catching her wrist. “Rin,” I said firmly, “We need to talk.”

Rinoa spun on me just as the door shut. “Damn you! To think I was glad to see you! I’d forgotten what a viciously rude _prick_ you can be.”

“I traveled 23 hours to get here, Rin, and I’m not in the mood to talk politics with your gigolo.”

“Hayward Brock is _not_ …”

“Rinoa!” I stood before her and spread out my hands. “I am your Knight. You summoned me.”

Rinoa put both hands to her mouth. “I did?!”

 

 

 

 


	2. Action

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He was pointing a gun at me. I hate that.

“Squall, I did _not_ summon you here to run off one of my few remaining friends.” Rinoa sighed and looked away. Angelo bumped her leg and she distracted herself by petting him.

I waited. Rinoa hated silence and would talk just to fill it. She talked enough for both of us, something I had liked about her. Until she started putting words in my mouth.

Reluctantly, Rinoa said, “Maybe I _did_ summon you, Squall. I didn’t mean to. I know you have your life… but I need someone to talk to.”

Why women have the burning need to unload their inner demons on me I’ll never understand. I fished around in my wallet and found the card I wanted, which I passed to Rin.

“What’s this? One of those help centers?” She glanced at the card, which is engraved simply with my name and a number.

“It’s my phone number. Next time, _call_ me.”

“You ass.” The corners of her mouth twitched up. Rin was always prettier when she smiled. “A business card? For mercenary work?” She was teasing now. “Or, I know… you had to have them printed up so you could _remember_ your name and phone number, right?”

That hit close to home. Coldly, I said, “So I don’t have to remember it.” Why should I? I never call myself and if I want Seifer, the number is right there on the card.

Rinoa laughed. “You’re here now, and it _is_ good to see you. You’ll stay, at least the night, won’t you?”

I ignored the hope in her voice and the look in her eyes, but my weary body voted against my better judgment. And I still had the feeling of danger coiling in the back of my mind. “Mind if I take a quick shower?”

By the time I got back downstairs Rinoa was in full hostess mode. Her father had come home and I was roped into a family dinner. I chafed at the thought of spending an evening socializing and dodging Caraway’s casually pointed questions about the political climate in Esther. I’m better at playing those sorts of games than I was. Even so, I was floored by the simplest question of all.

“So,” Caraway said, “What brings you here?”

I suspected the truth was not my best option. I ran through my other choices. Business was just as bad an answer, considering my line of work and that Caraway knew all about it. I knew saying I had come to visit Rinoa would have all sorts of repercussions.

“He’s here to represent Esther at the Festival,” Rinoa said suddenly. “There was a mix up at the Hotel, and Squall called me to recommend another one. But you _know_ everything’s booked, so I _insisted_ he stay here with us.”

My gratitude to Rinoa for the save warred with annoyance that I had been tricked into going to some Festival with her. Wasn’t that dear Hayward’s job? I moved to cover the obvious hole in her story.

“I could have bunked at the Garden… but Selphie and Irvine just had a baby.”

Caraway chuckled, proving that all fathers were not as rabidly baby crazy as Irvine and Laguna.

Rinoa sighed. “I bet he’s a doll. I must get a baby gift over to Selphie… I’ll procrastinate until the baby’s in college if I don’t do it soon.”

“Rinny was right, having you stay here. Garden would do you no good; you’d have to get private transport from there, anyway.” Caraway said, ignoring Rinoa’s attempt at subject change. “All the trains are being shut down for the festival. We’re opening a new public transportation system as part of the ceremonies. We couldn’t have done it without Estherian technologies – I imagine that’s why you’re here, to take the bows?” Caraway sipped his port and looked at me expectantly.

This kept getting worse and worse. I was here to save Rinoa, not make speeches at the dedications of a new Public Transport System. Just the thought was enough to make me hope for some sort of large scale SeeD emergency.

“Don’t be silly, Daddy. _Squall_? Make a _speech_?” Rescued by Rinoa again.

Rinoa dominated the rest of the dinner conversation by telling her father his opinion of some fete she was hosting. It sounded dismal. Rinoa was bound to be 20 years younger than anyone at the thing.

Why was she hosting parties for crusty old warriors? Rinoa was a pretty woman, intelligent, well educated, social. She could do better. She deserved better than keeping house for her father. She deserved better than _Hay_.

“You have no right to talk about my boyfriend like that,” Rinoa hissed at me.

I must have said that last out loud. I blinked and looked around. Caraway had left us alone at the table.

“You left me,” I defended myself.

“Only physically.”

Point. Had we ever been together emotionally? “He’s not good enough for you, Rin.”

Her eyes softened. “Maybe not… but he’s the only one who asked, Squall. …It’s been very lonely.”

“You have crowds of friends.” I remembered being drug around, introduced, and displayed to what felt like most of the population of Deling City. Maybe it was Esther. At times, Rinoa and Laguna have a lot in common.

“Had,” Rinoa corrected. “Being a sorceress is not… quite the thing in our set, you see.”

“I’m sorry,” I said, and meant it.

“Everyone was very nice about it at the Garden. Considering you were trained to kill us, and all. But I never fit in.”

Neither had I. I learned not to care.

Rinoa toyed with her wine glass. “When I first got back home, I saw in the social columns a girl I went to school with was getting married. The event of the season. Big outdoor thing, all pink silk pavilions and fancy dress. I was so excited for Ultana. I ran out and bought her a wedding gift right away. …but I didn’t get an invitation.”

She smiled at me and shrugged. “I thought, well, we weren’t that close, sure we ran in the same crowd, but she wasn’t my best friend or anything. And I’d been gone over a year, really. I put it out of my mind – I honestly forgot all about it.”

“On her wedding day, it was the _storm_ of the season. Terrible unseasonable weather. The news coverage had this really funny – not to them, I’m sure, but – okay, _hilarious_ clip of Ultana’s mother trying to save the cake as the pink pavilions collapsed from the wind and rain.”  Rinoa laughed at the memory.

“That reminded me – you know how I procrastinate – I’d never sent the gift. I shipped it along with a note. I couldn’t exactly say, ‘sorry I couldn’t make your wedding’ when I wasn’t invited, so I just said ‘Best wishes’ and I added a little comment about how I was sure it was a beautiful wedding despite the weather.”

I waited for Rinoa to get to the point.

“You know, next was Selphie and Irvine’s wedding. That was in the social columns, too, since Irvine is a local boy, and I was Maid of Honor. You remember how perfectly lovely it was.”

I remembered nothing of the sort. I remembered losing my virginity to Irvine at the Stag party, being utterly unprepared to see Rinoa again and deal with the knowing looks and smirks of my so called friends, getting puking drunk, and, to quote Zell, “Making a perfect ass” of myself.

“After that, I got a lot of invitations. I went to a couple of things, and the girls fawned on me. It was… weird. Daddy wasn’t well then, so I started turning people down. They seemed… relieved. Then one girl I hardly knew called me up in hysterics saying she just couldn’t afford a big wedding and would I please not be offended and ruin her day?”

I blinked at her, clueless.

Rinoa laughed mirthlessly. “Don’t you see? They thought I’d conjured the storm on Ultana as revenge!”

“Did you?” Rin had a temper, after all.

This time the laugh was more amused. “No, Silly. I don’t have that kind of power… what little I did have, I gave to you, at the end, you know. I can’t even summon Angelo anymore.”

“Rin. You can’t summon Angelo because he’s your limit break, and you haven’t been hurt.”

“That’s what you think,” she muttered.

“Why would you give me your powers?”

“I wanted to be normal! I didn’t have much power on my own, only from the Gift of Hyne Edea transferred to me, and I lost that during time compression. I thought you wouldn’t mind. Wouldn’t notice, actually. And if you did, you were more likely to need the extra healing than I was.”

Was it possible I was holding Rinoa’s sorceress powers? I knew Knights could act as batteries for their sorceresses, feeding excess power to them. I had so much magic on me, all the time… could I have not noticed?

I reached out and took Rinoa’s hand, transferring her powers back to her. It’s an oddly intimate feeling. We held hands longer than necessary for the transfer.

She was right, there wasn’t much.

“Is that all?”

Rinoa took her hand back, blushing faintly. “Yes. I told you. I wasn’t much of a sorceress to begin with.”

“What happens now?”

“I marry Hay, I suppose. I can’t have children – another bonus of being a sorceress, thanks a lot, Hyne – but he’s encouraging about my work at the orphanage, so maybe we can adopt.”

“I don’t like him.”

“You don’t have to marry him.”

“Neither do you, Rin! He’s a phony.”

“Hay comes from a poor family. He worked hard to get where he is. I respect that. He’s _nice_ to me, Squall. He pays attention to me. Is that so much to ask?”

More than I could give her. “Do _not_ summon me to kick his ass if he turns abusive or runs around on you.” I shook my head and sighed. “On second thought, _do_ summon me. I’d love to introduce him to Lionheart.”

Rinoa giggled. “He cheats on me, I’ll make his wang fall off. I have _some_ powers.”

Helpless and hating it, I said, “I will always be your Knight, Rinoa.”

“I know.” She leaned forward and kissed me on the nose, something I used to find endearing. “Thank you.”

.

The dedication ceremonies for the new Public Transportation System were exactly as boring as I feared. There was no SeeD emergency to liven it up. I stood around at the reception afterwards, drinking too much warm champagne and trying not to have my picture taken.

Hay was somehow very integral to the whole system and he was seriously networking. He played the host, plying us with refreshments. When he could spare the time from basking and preening.

Rinoa saved me yet again by clutching my arm suddenly. “Squall? Can you take me home? I don’t feel well…”

Hay materialized by her side. “What’s wrong, Darling? Too much sun?”

“Probably,” Rinoa said, but her eyes looked funny to me. She sagged in my arms.

“Help me with her,” Hay ordered, taking most of Rinoa’s weight away from me.

I nodded. I wasn’t feeling too good myself. We made it away from the crowds and were heading for the VIP parking when the ground suddenly tilted. “I need Esuna,” I said, and collapsed.

.

.

.

My first thought, when I woke up, was that I hoped I hadn’t embarrassed Squall and Hay. Champagne doesn’t usually hit me that hard, although I don’t typically drink so much, either. I don’t really like champagne; it’s not sweet enough. Hay loves it. I think he thinks it’s more high class than beer or wine.

So I drank a lot of toasts with Hay and to Hay from other people. I was so nervous, I was afraid Hay would announce our engagement and I wasn’t sure how Daddy would take it. I should have known Hay wouldn’t do that to me. He’d have to share the limelight.

Anyway, I thought, it must have been nerves and the sun and all that champagne that made me feel so odd at the reception. I remembered that, you see, but I had no idea how I came to be lying down so I assumed I must have been very drunk and that’s why I was worried about Squall and Hay.

I made myself open my eyes, to see if anyone was nearby I could beg for a cup of tea. I wasn’t in my room at all! The place was more like a janitor’s office, with ducts and pipes and ugly wires. And I was on the dirty floor in my new dress!

I sat up and looked around. I saw Squall right away, trapped in some sort of horrible tank, floating in green liquid. He had some sort of breathing mask on, thank Hyne, but the tank was so small he could barely move.

Even so, I could tell he was trying to tell me something. I got to my feet and struggled over to hunt for the controls to the thing. I wished Selphie were there. She’s much better at mechanical things than I am.

“Step away from the tank, Rinoa.”

“Hay! Thank Hyne you’re here. Squall’s in…” I pointed to the tank as I turned to Hay. He was pointing a gun at me. I hate that. “Hay? What are you doing?”

“Adapting, Darling. The most adaptable creature is the most successful.” He smiled at me. “I intend to be _very_ successful.”

I hoped Squall didn’t think I was part of this or that I’d lured him here and tricked him.

I used my best dealing with little kids voice. “Why is Squall in the tank, Hay?”

“It was supposed to be you. I had a little agreement with Odine to supply a sorceress for a moderate fee. But then your Knight showed up, and I was forced to change my plan.”

Squall was pounding on the glass, trying to break free. Poor dear, he couldn’t get much force behind the blows. He finally quit, which surprised me. Stubbornness always was one of his virtues.

“You were going to sell me? To Odine?!” I put my hands on my hips. “Don’t you think my father would have _noticed_?!” I know I should have been more devastated and betrayed, but I was too offended and angry.

Hay just shrugged. “Odine provided the chamber. It detaches for shipping, very neat.”

I was trying to watch Squall out of the corner of my eye, not an easy thing to do when you’re talking to a crazy person. Squall had gotten his hands over his head and was doing something to the tubes coming down from the ceiling of the tank. He was trying to pull the breather mask off, pulling tubes out of his throat like pulling yarn out of a kitten’s mouth.

I shuddered. I hoped Hay would think it was fear or something, although I don’t shake when I’m scared. Much. Squall was going to drown, there was no way he could get that breather back in. Think Rinoa, think! But I couldn’t. So I just kept talking, hoping Squall had an idea and trying to give him time to make it work.

“But you changed your mind?” I hated that I sounded so hopeful. Bastard. I almost married him!

“Everyone knows it’s a bad sign when a Sorceress and her Knight get together. I decided I would tragically be forced to kill you both, to save Deling City.” Hay gestured with the gun as he talked. Irvine once told me that was the mark of an amateur. Professionals are rock steady. I wondered if I could wrestle the gun away from him. “Not as much money, but you can’t buy publicity like that. It should guarantee me the election, anyway.”

The tank frosted up around Squall suddenly.  I gulped, hoping he hadn’t made himself into a Popsicle.

Hay continued, “I didn’t realize who your Knight was, at first. Then it clicked. He’s the son of the richest, most powerful man in the world! I can name my price!”

The tank suddenly flared red and the liquid roiled. Tiny cracks ran through the glass. I prayed Squall hadn’t poached himself. When the thumping started again, I knew he was all right.

The flashes caught Hay’s attention, too. He turned with a frown to Squall and the tank, and I rushed him, trying to grab the gun. We struggled for what seemed like forever, before Hay threw me off and into the wall. I leaned against the rough concrete, trying to get my breath and balance back.

The pounding seemed weaker. How long had Squall gone without air?

“I regret,” Hay said, “ _your_ father won’t be able to meet my price.” Then he shot me.

_Rinoa,_ I thought, as I slid down the wall, _are you going to be a victim your entire life?_

“Angelo strike,” I whispered through the blood.

 

 

 

 


	3. Resolution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Let me guess. It’s not what I think.”

The glass had cracked as planned but I still couldn’t get enough force to shatter it. The slush from the first Blizzarga protected me from the full heat of the Firaga but it was still slowly cooking me, and I was starting to get blurry from lack of air.

Then Angelo crashed into the side of the tank, and we both fell into the room in a rush of glass and hot viscous green slime. I landed on my hands and knees, coughing up green crap and sucking in air.

“Imbecile!” Odine shrieked, suddenly appearing behind Hay. “It waz ze Sorceress who went in ze containment tube!”

“She has no powers!” Hay sneered. He pointed the gun at me.

Rinoa had some. “Angelo rush,” she wheezed. The elderly dog gave it his all, crashing into Hay and sending his shot wild.

I summoned Shiva. Odine had a Firaga waiting and it hit us both. Shiva faded, too injured to be any help. I got to my feet; glad to see Angelo dragging himself over to Rinoa. I turned my back on the sparkles of the healing spell he was casting on his mistress. I turned to Odine, first.

Odine’s eyes widened. “No, Fool! Do not shoot him!”

I paused and looked at Hayward Brock, who was wild eyed with fear and pain from the broken bones Angelo had left him. I spread my hands, giving him a target.

He took his best shot.

The multicolored rush of Renzokuken took over from there. I was left standing in the red remains of Odine and Hayward. Feathers snowed gently around me, as Rinoa tried again and again to resurrect her oldest friend. I went to her side, and when the feather storm became a blizzard, I pulled her away from Angelo’s body. Since there was nothing I could say, I stayed silent, and held her against my chest as she wept.

I was still holding her later, after we made love. I watched her sleep and thought about love and dreams. About devotion and duty. About Sorceresses and Knights.

Found it was easy to forgive Laguna for leaving Raine - and me – in his desperate search for Ellone.

Thought about Seifer, and all he’d given up for his Sorceress and his dream.

I knew what I had to do.

I transferred to Rinoa every spell I had stocked. She smiled in her sleep.

I took the next train out to Esther. Home was only 17 hours away.

.

Broken glass crunched under my boots as I crossed the parking lot to the apartment I shared with Seifer. Movement caught my eye and I looked up to see our curtains, liners and all, billowing out through a broken window.

It’s been a long time since I was truly afraid. I thought Seifer’s enemies had caught up with him somehow, and I hadn’t been here to protect him. I dropped my bags, pulled Lionheart, and raced up the concrete steps.

The door was barely closed. I came in fast and low. Our apartment had been thoroughly trashed. It looked like my sound system had been what went through the picture window.

I looked up and Seifer was there, curled in a ruined armchair. He was smoking, which surprised me. My cigarettes, which surprised me even more. I had forgotten all about them. He was using one of our good company dishes as an ashtray, and by the looks of it, he was nearly done with the whole pack.

I felt the fear melt away, and I let Lionheart slide back into its junction. “I thought you had been attacked,” I said.

Seifer said nothing. His movements were tight, jerky. Angry.

“Seif?”

He leaned over and stabbed out the cigarette he’d been working on. With a similar gesture, Seifer cut on the voice mail playback.

“Squall, I just wanted you to know how much last night meant to me. Thank you.” Rinoa’s voice. “I love you.”

I sighed and shook my head. “Seifer…”

“Let me guess. It’s not what I think.” His voice was rough. It must have been the cigarettes.

“No, it’s exactly what you think.” It was hard to talk. Must have been from ripping out the breather mask.

Seifer uncoiled and stood, his eyes flashing. “I can overlook the drinking. I can learn to live with the spy mercenary combat crap. Hyne, I can even forgive you trying to kill me.” He reached out and slapped the little playback unit off the end table. It smashed against the wall near my head. “But I will not tolerate you cheating on me!”

Fear, then relief, then guilt. Too many emotions too fast. I lost control of my temper. “Why do you get to make all the rules?! I’m sick of being your good little bitch!”

He smirked at me. All we’ve been through, and that smirk still makes me crazy. Lionheart was back in my hand before I knew it. Seifer’s eyes narrowed. He was unarmed but far from helpless.

Thundara slammed me back against the wall. Our television exploded from the excess energy. I shook it off and charged, ignoring Shiva’s protests.

I parried the second spell, Fira from the way the wallpaper scorched. Then I was on Seifer, pressing him against the wall, Lionheart at his throat, forcing up his chin.

“I. Can. Still. Take you!” I snarled.

The words bubbled out of him like poison from an infected wound. “But you can’t make me like it, Slut Boy.”

I turned the gunblade in my hand and trailed it down his throat, his breastbone, to his navel and below. Seifer’s this shirt split open and a thin line of red filled the shallow cut. I looked up at him; his eyes were dark, unreadable. He stood still, his palms flat against the wall.

His breath hitched when, with a flick of my wrist, I cut through the drawstring and waistband of the baggy lounge pants he was wearing. The silky material slid down his legs.

Seifer never wears underwear.

His left hand was glowing slightly. I put Lionheart back to his throat. “No more spells.” There was no question of whether or not I would truly hurt Seifer, but he wisely did not push. The glow diminished and disappeared.

This was about control. Seifer had all the power in our relationship, in my life. Seifer, Rinoa, Garden, SeeD, my father, all of them compelled me.

This was about regaining control.

I dropped Lionheart back into its junction sheath. I reached up and tugged Seifer’s shirt off his shoulders and down his arms. I twisted the fabric in my hand, forcing his wrists together, pulling him away from the wall.

Seifer stepped out of his ruined pants, watching me warily.

I knotted the soft fabric to keep his hands in place. I dragged Seifer over to our easy chair and pushed him down on it. I made him spread his legs by wedging myself between them. I forced them wider apart and knelt on the edge of the cushion, facing him. Seifer pressed against the back of the chair, trying to keep delicate parts from being pinched.

I was still angry and to be honest, considered forcing myself on him. Seifer had never allowed me to top him in any way. I looked down at his watchful eyes and realized this wasn’t about control.

It was about trust.

I leaned over Seifer and kissed him, claiming his mouth. I scraped my teeth over his lips enough to make them darken and swell.

“When will you learn to trust me?”

Seifer closed his eyes.

I sighed and nipped along his jaw, and down his jumping pulse to the hollow of his throat.

Very softly, he said, “You slept with her, Squall. You cheated on me.”

I worked my way lower, scrolling my tongue over his left nipple, hearing his heart pound. I looked up, trying to control my own hurt and anger.

Seifer of all people should know I had no choice. He _did_ know it. His sorceress had raped him often enough, biting away chunks of his will along with his flesh.

Rinoa and I were different. We cared for each other.

“I came back to you,” I said, and I reached down to pull the lever on the side of the chair that activated the full recline. Seifer fell back, his legs forced up in the air, and I slid partially under him, helped by the smooth leather of my pants against the soft worn fabric of the chair.

“Squall…” Seifer said, startled and amused at the position he was in. Until he realized his ass was firmly against my erection.

“Trust me,” I ordered, and I lifted him up so I could take the tip of his shaft into my mouth.

Seifer relaxed back and purred. I licked and sucked and managed to keep him distracted enough that I could get my glove off and the lube from my pocket. Seifer wrenched away from the first probe of my slicked fingers, his eyes wide.

“No.”

“Trust me,” I asked. I put my lips back around his cock and slid my fingers inside him.

I smoothed my still gloved hand over his tawny body, tracing the welt I’d left, teasing his navel, pinching his nipples. I found the spot inside him and Seifer’s cock twitched and jumped under my tongue. I eased back, pulling my glove off with my teeth, then coating myself with the sweet lube.

“Squall… _please_.”

I wasn’t sure if Seifer was asking me to stop or to continue, and decided it had no impact on what I was about to do, anyway. He writhed, trying to coax me back. I looked down at Seifer’s body and up into his bright green eyes. Still wary, even hazed with want and lust.

“Trust me,” I begged, and I thrust into him.

Seifer gasped and bucked to meet me and we moved together.

“I was afraid you weren’t coming back.”

“I was summoned. I came back to you. Have never left you. Will never leave you.”

He arched up against me, muscles taunt, and his skin flushed as the orgasm hit. Seifer’s release pulled my own with it, and I spilled my seed into his body.

I collapsed on Seifer’s chest. He murmured something and my heart sang. I fumbled for a response, hoping had the courage to say it.

“I love you, too,” I said.

.

.

.

Later, Squall explained things to the neighbors, landlord, and the peacekeepers mainly by looking cool and aloof and telling them it was all under control and would not happen again. Then we boarded up our window and retired to our snug little bed. Once I got my revenge on Squall by making _him_ squirm and beg and purr a little, I apologized for trashing our house. “I’ll buy you a new sound system.”

Squall snuggled. “Is ok. Needed upgrading anyway. What happened?”

“I was jealous. And scared, that she’d keep you somehow.”

“Rin and I don’t have that sort of relationship.” Squall nuzzled my shoulder and I obligingly pulled him closer. Sleepily, he continued, “I gave her her power back. Wasn’t much. Didn’t even know I was holding it.”

I wondered if that was a bad thing, Rinoa and her powers, and what the long-term repercussions would be. I decided Squall and I together could handle most anything. I let my eyes close.

“No Gift of Hyne,” Squall said. “Rin doesn’t have it. Wonder who does.” He fell asleep.

It was a very long time before I followed.

 

 


End file.
